Existing document scanners can generally be classified as either flatbed scanners or drum scanners. Flatbed scanners generally have a linear array of detecting devices such as linear charge coupled devices (CCDs). The space between the detecting devices determines the horizontal resolution of the scanning device. The speed that the array is moved along the document and the rate at which the devices are read, determines the vertical resolution of the scanning device. Flatbed scanning devices which have 300 to 600 CCD elements per inch are commercially available.
Drum scanners generally have a single photo-detector and a scanning beam of light. The beam of light scans across a line of the document as the document moves around the drum. The light reflected from the document is directed to the single photodetector. The horizontal resolution of the scanner is primarily determined by the frequency that the output of the single photoreceptor is sampled as the light beam moves across a line of the document.
Drum scanners can also include a linear array of detectors and there are many other types of scanners which combine elements from the above described two general types of scanners.
Scanning a document at a particular resolution (for example at 600 pixels per inch) can introduce patterns into the data. The patterns introduced into data by scanning appear when the scanned data is printed or displayed. Such patterns are frequently referred to as Moiré patterns.
In some instances special patterns are intentionally introduced into an image so that when the image is scanned and then reproduced the Moiré patterns produce visible images. When such images are visible it indicates that a document is not an original, that is, the image was created by scanning an original. Such technology is well developed and is for example described in issued U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,547.
The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for scanning a document in a manner which changes how and whether Moiré patterns are introduced into an image when the image is scanned.